Ga Young Kim captures Women’s World 10 ball crown
It was her third straight semifinal appearance at the Yalin Women's World 10 ball Championship. This time Ga Young Kim didn't let the title slip away.
The stylish Korean beat Chen Si Ming of China, 10-5 in the final to add a world 10 Ball title to the two 9 ball championships she won in 2004 and 2006.
Kim finished second to Jasmin Ouschan in this event in 2010 and was a semifinalist last year when Kelly Fisher of England won.
A packed crowd at Robinson's Galleria witnessed a vintage performance from Kim, who played well but also had the run of the balls in the final.
She raced to a 5-1 lead with the help of great shooting like a jump on the five in rack two and break-and-run outs in racks three and five.
Chen got to within three at 6-3 but Kim continued to apply the pressure. A razor-thin slice on the five ball helped her get to 7-3. Chen bobbled a thin cut on the side pocket with the six ball in the next game and Kim cleared to make it 8-3.
A break-and-run out in rack 12, her third of the match against none for Chen, put her on the hill. The confetti machine operator, who thought the final was a race-to-9 like the semifinal, prematurely exploded the confetti to the bemusement of everyone.
Chen picked off the next rack and took rack fourteen also with a neat 3-10 billiard off the long rail.
But those two wins merely delayed the inevitable. The 19 year-old Chinese star hooked herself on the six ball in the subsequent rack and when Kim got on the table she took care of the remaining balls for victory.
This time, the confetti was for real.
Time and time and again Kim, in both the semi and the final, potted tough shots to get out.
"I said in the press conference that I really wanted to win this one because I have won the 9 Ball title already" said a relieved Kim after the match.
Kim had earlier disposed of countrywoman Yu Ram Cha, 9-5 in an extremely high-quality semifinal, whose scoreline did not reflect how well Cha played.
Cha jumped to a 3-1 lead that included a sensational kick-in on the 2 ball in rack three.
But Kim turned on the heat and won eight of the next ten to claim victory.
In a moment that typified Cha's night, she broke in rack 10 down 4-5, squatted the cue ball in the center of the table, made a ball, but saw an idle ball spank the white into a pocket.
In the first semifinal, Chen defeated fellow Chinese star Fu Xiao Fang 9-6.
Fu could have pulled to within one rack in rack fourteen, but overdrew the cue ball off the nine ball into the side pocket. Chen then took the next two for victory.
Fu's eleven unforced errors proved to be her downfall.
Kim wins US$21,000 for her week's work while Chen settles for US$10,000 Cha and Fu take home US$5,500.
Kim is the fourth different champion from four different countries since the inception of this event. Rubilen Amit from Mandaue, Cebu, won in 2009.
Amit was the top Filipina this year, reaching the round-of-16.
This year also marked the breakout of Cheska Centeno. The 13-year old from Zamboanga City made it through a special qualifier for Filipina players, then got through her group with a 3-2 record.
Unfortunately she drew Amit in the first elimination round and lost. But many Pool observers are high on her future.
One thing is certain, the standard of women's Pool has never been better, with Kim Ga Young standing at the summit.
For more information, click on www.womensworld10ball.com.
